(Toledo, OH) Matt Caito scored for the Walleye but Reading took the series with a 4-1 game seven at the Huntington Center Tuesday night. The Royals win the series four games to three.

Reading’s Kevin Goumas, held without a goal in the series, started the scoring with a top shelf wrist shot at 8:06 of the first period. Toledo owned much of the play in the opening period holding a 14-6 shot advantage. The second goal of the game for Goumas came at the 6:28 mark of the second to balloon the Reading lead to 3-0. For a second straight period Toledo out shot Reading 14-6.

Toledo chipped into the Royals lead when defenseman Matt Caito fired a snap shot past the right arm of goaltender Martin Ouellette just 1:27 into the third period. The first goal of the playoffs from Caito was the lone one to beat Ouellette on the night as he picked up 37 saves on Toledo’s 38 shots. Kevin Goumas picked up the hat trick at 11:03 of the third to finish the scoring.

Updated 5x at 3:07, with some observations and pictures: Of playoff-related prospect note:

In the AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins defeated the Milwaukee Admirals 4-1 to sweep the teams' first-round series, taking the best-of-5 set in 3 games, and the game included two of the most bizarre goals that I've ever seen. Grand Rapids scored the game-tying and game-winning goals, by Brian Lashoff and Anthony Mantha, respectively, THROUGH the Admirals' net. Both goals had to be confirmed by video review:

In a column discussing Tomas Tatar's possible use as a trade chip for the Red Wings, the Free Press's George Sipple reveals that Tatar may not be able to play in the World Championships for Slovakia due to a "chip on his shoulder":

Tatar is hoping to play for another team soon. He wants to play for Slovakia at the IIHF World Championship, which starts May 6 in Russia.

Holland said Tatar was dealing with a rotator cuff injury. Tatar wouldn’t specify what the injury was, but said he had to be cleared by team doctors in order to play.

“I had a little medical problem, so I have to do some stuff here,” Tatar said. “It kind of came from the regular season and it went all the way to the playoffs. I don’t really want to talk about it now till I will know 100% what it is.”

2. Dylan Larkin is headed to the World Championship because he wants to play more hockey, and during the Red Wings' locker room clean-out day, the Detroit News's Gregg Krupa noted that Larkin was one of the few Wings expressing enthusiasm and a little bit of defensive "pluck" about his team's need for change:

While Datsyuk was at his peak, the Red Wings were unstoppable. From 2005-06 to 2008-09, the Red Wings had both Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in their primes, and Lidstrom who, at ages 35 to 39, was still arguably the best defenseman in the NHL. During those four seasons, the Wings averaged 116 points in the standings, finishing 1st, 2nd, 1st and 3rd overall in the league, respectively.

In retrospect, it's surprising that they didn't win more than one Stanley Cup during those years. Datsyuk had already won the Stanley Cup during his rookie season with the juggernaut Wings of 2002, but he was only a third-line player, forming the "Two Kids and an Old Goat" line with Boyd Devereaux and Brett Hull. However, he was the driving force behind the post-lockout Wings. During their championship run in 2008, they looked unstoppable, losing only six games on their way to the Cup. They came within one goal of winning a second back-to-back Cup in 2009, losing Game 7 to the Penguins, 2-1....

The 21st century Wings won't be remembered as a playoff dynasty, but they may yet turn out to be the last truly dominant team the NHL ever sees, as the salary cap continues to drive parity across the league. And Datsyuk will be remembered as the Russian magician who helped make it all possible. There is no doubt that, in a few years, he should be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

“A lot of people don’t know that side of the job,” Qunicey said. “Packing up a house and not knowing where you’re gonna be. You’ve got family that need to know where they’re gonna be, and when you have no answers for them it’s kind of the (dirty) part of the job I guess.”

Quincey, who was a fourth-round pick by the Red Wings in 2003, found a niche during his second tour with the franchise. More than a year and a half ago former coach Mike Babcock paired him on the right side with Danny DeKeyser. It was only then that Quincey began to feel comfortable in his reunited role with the team.

“Babs tried to put a few guys with (DeKeyser) on the right side for the first week or two and it didn’t work out,” Quincey recalled. “Then he came to me and he goes, ‘Can you play the right side?’ which he’s never let me play – ever. And I never looked back. I haven’t played on the left side since. I can obviously play both sides comfortably and it was a challenge that I ran with and kind of really take a lot of pride in. Danny’s a great player, so it’s very easy to play with him for sure.”

And so...

“A veteran in Colorado told me ‘we’re in the business of winning,’ ” he said. “Teams that win stay together. If Kenny offers me something I’d love to come back. We love it here. But if not, July 1, and just see what happens.”

MLive's Ansar Khan duly notes that Darren Helm sounded very "iffy" about returning to the Red Wings without significant clarification as to his role with the team:

"I love it here. I love the city. I love the fans, the people," Helm said. "We've made a lot of really good friends that would definitely be really hard to move away from. A lot of people have helped me outside the team to keep me on track with my health and those are tough guys to find as well."

The Red Wings like the speedy Helm's versatility – his ability to play on a top-six scoring line or a bottom-six checking unit. He has played the wing the past couple of seasons but not too long ago was labeled the best third-line center in the NHL by former coach Mike Babcock. He kills penalties and can play a net-front role on the power play.

"I need to talk to (coach Jeff Blashill) and Kenny and see where everything is headed and where I see myself fitting into this organization or where they see me fitting into this organization, then I'll have to make some tough decisions," Helm said.

He said it's tough moving around from line to line depending on what role needs to be filled.

"Winning is a big part of it," Helm said. "I really don't mind playing on the bottom lines as long as there's that respect factor. You get opportunities in different situations. If it looks like that's the case that I'll get to play in those, then I'll be happy. If they tell me right away that's not going to happen then I may not want to stay."

1. Mickey Redmond spoke with WDIV's Jamie Edmonds after the Wings' playoff ouster, offering seven minutes' worth of opinions as to how the Red Wings might improve their blueline (via trade), the team's need to add size to the mix, possibly at the expense of one of Nyquist or Tatar, his take on Pavel Datsyuk's situation (farewell and thank you), and he addresses the youth movement in positive terms;

“He’s going to do what he wants to do,” Gustav Nyquist said. “He’s been a great player with this organization for a long time and he’s still one of the best players in the league. It’s been great having him here as a teammate and I learned a lot from him.

“But whatever he wants to do, he’ll do what’s best for him and his family. We’d love to have him back but it’s up to him.”

Justin Abdelkader, who earned Datsyuk’s respect for his work habits as a linemate, said, “It’s his decision to make. He’ll do what’s in his heart. All we can do is just thank him for what he’s done for this organization.”

Here's my blunt take: I don't disagree with the person who's encouraged me to commit suicide as part of his scorched-earth sports mentality. I don't believe Brady's suggestion that Zetterberg and Kronwall may have influenced the personnel decisions to ensure that Swedes were playing.

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